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Switchblade #6
Switchblade
Porn stars, loan sharks, hitmen, pimps, junkies, whores and thieves; losers rolling snake eyes with every toss. 14 psychologically disturbing tales from independent operators making moves outside the five families of traditional publishing…It’s another indie noir star-studded line up. The man behind Ford Fairlane, rock and roll detective—Rex Weiner, has a story in this issue. Tough magazine editor, Rusty Barnes makes his Switchblade debut, along with Jim Thomsen, Aidan Thorn, Mike Payne, John Bosworth, George Garnet, Scot Carpenter and Evelyn Deshane. We also welcome back repeat offenders, E.F. Sweetman, Tais Teng, Danny Sophabmisay, Tom Barlow, and Travis Richardson. Featuring the poetry of William R. Soldan.
170 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 8, 2018
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3 people want to read
About the author
Rusty Barnes
47 books227 followersRusty Barnes is a 2018 Derringer finalist and author of the story collections Breaking it Down (Sunnyoutside Press 2007) , Mostly Redneck (Sunnyoutside Press 2011), and Kraj The Enforcer: Stories (Shotgun Honey 2019), as well as four novels, Reckoning (Sunnyoutside Press, 2014), Ridgerunner (Shotgun Honey/Down & Out Books, 2017), Knuckledragger (Shotgun Honey/Down & Out Books 2017) and The Last Danger (Shotgun Honey/Down & Out Books 2018), His fiction, poetry and non-fiction have appeared or are forthcoming in many journals and anthologies, like Dirty Boulevard: Crime Stories Inspired by the Songs of Lou Reed (Down & Out Books 2018), Best Small Fictions 2015, Mystery Tribune, Goliad Review, Smokelong Quarterly, Red Rock Review, Porter Gulch Review and Post Road. His poetry collections include On Broad Sound (Nixes Mates Press, 2016) and Jesus in the Ghost Room, (Nixes Mates Press 2017). He founded and edits Tough, a journal of crime fiction and occasional reviews. Find him on Twitter @rustybarnes23
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
October 2, 2018
It's always utter bliss when the post delivery arrives with the next issue of Switchblade.
William R. Soldan’s dark, urban poetry starts this volume off, setting the scene perfectly for the hard-boiled and noir tales to follow. As always with Switchblade, I really, really enjoyed every piece I read here; it’s another stellar collection of the hard-boiled and noir talent out there.
Three pieces of flash fiction follow the Soldan poem.
“Down Payment” by George Garnet: You’re never too young to protect your mummy, even with only a water pistol.
“Hooked” by Aidan Thorn: Grief and craving for intimacy are not a good state of mind when the world is full of predators.
“On The Way Home” by Rex Weiner: A twisted tale with very twisted humour. And this gem of a line: “The sun is setting over the hills like final judgment in some forgotten language.” Superb!
Then we’re into the 11 excellent short stories.
“Cold Comfort” by John Bosworth: Well, it does take all sorts to make the world go round. And this is prostitution on a whole new level, or not so new, depending on how you look at it!
“The Vice Aisle” by Mike Payne: Yeah, mix swingers' parties, drug supply, and child support – what could possibly go wrong?
“Dead Men Tell Tales” by Jim Thomsen: Lovely twist here, and if you’re into hiring a contract killer, then you really need to understand that nobody can be trusted. But rich, arrogant people will still behave the way they do. Loved this line: “He nodded to the couch, a horror of bright flowers and burnt orange that looked like it had died and gone to hell in 1974.”
“The Usher” by E.F. Sweetman: This was my personal favourite. Aside from the great writing, this piece is the epitome of the missing young female traveller tale. Mix those Scandinavian girls with twisted predators in a foreign country, and it’s gruesome. The skill of Sweetman here is to leave that haunting chill with you well after the read. Seriously loved this piece. And it haunts, it really does.
“Chowda” by Travis Richardson: Fish soup has never been high on my list, but even less so now, and even if it is cooked by family. Because not all families live on Walton mountain, that’s for sure.
“Implement of Destruction” by Rusty Barnes: The great twist here is the feisty girlfriend you didn’t see coming. And it’s a new take on a golden shower, oh yes. Add in the dog’s tongue…just read it, you’ll understand exactly what I mean. This is my second favourite piece here.
“Lost Girl” by Scot Carpenter: PIs take pretty well most jobs that come their way. So does this PI. And his torture techniques are inventive! He does also have an unconventional way of wrapping a case up.
“Road Rage” by Danny Sophabmisay: This is the gutter of life at its darkest best. This girl should have tried harder with Narcotics Anonymous, but then we wouldn't have this great story. Mix drugs, cash and Disney characters. Yeah, a hell of a ride. And this line sets the scene perfectly: “All she wanted was a hit of crack – just one little rock to unwind after a long shift at The Foamy Beaver.” Love it!
“The Bargain” by Tom Barlow: Buyer beware, what more can I say? But drugs and cash are powerful motivators. Throw in a blow job and guns, and it’s a hoot.
“The Magician’s Left Hand” by Tais Teng: Over to Holland for a contract killer who needs to have a better recollection of his clients and targets, but this one is a real professional.
“Violet” by Evelyn Deshane: Transgender porn shop worker fantasizing about female porn star in a porno snuff movie – of course, this is looking good. Throw in a filmic re-enactment, and this is a great story to round out the volume.
The Switchblade editor, Scotch Rutherford, has quickly established himself and his magazine anthology as a leader in the hard-boiled and noir crime writing space. Every issue of Switchblade so far has been an immense treat, and the quality just keeps getting better. If you are a fan of this sub-genre of crime, then I cannot recommend Switchblade enough – it is, quite simply, mandatory reading for connoisseurs of noir.
Cheers,
ABP
William R. Soldan’s dark, urban poetry starts this volume off, setting the scene perfectly for the hard-boiled and noir tales to follow. As always with Switchblade, I really, really enjoyed every piece I read here; it’s another stellar collection of the hard-boiled and noir talent out there.
Three pieces of flash fiction follow the Soldan poem.
“Down Payment” by George Garnet: You’re never too young to protect your mummy, even with only a water pistol.
“Hooked” by Aidan Thorn: Grief and craving for intimacy are not a good state of mind when the world is full of predators.
“On The Way Home” by Rex Weiner: A twisted tale with very twisted humour. And this gem of a line: “The sun is setting over the hills like final judgment in some forgotten language.” Superb!
Then we’re into the 11 excellent short stories.
“Cold Comfort” by John Bosworth: Well, it does take all sorts to make the world go round. And this is prostitution on a whole new level, or not so new, depending on how you look at it!
“The Vice Aisle” by Mike Payne: Yeah, mix swingers' parties, drug supply, and child support – what could possibly go wrong?
“Dead Men Tell Tales” by Jim Thomsen: Lovely twist here, and if you’re into hiring a contract killer, then you really need to understand that nobody can be trusted. But rich, arrogant people will still behave the way they do. Loved this line: “He nodded to the couch, a horror of bright flowers and burnt orange that looked like it had died and gone to hell in 1974.”
“The Usher” by E.F. Sweetman: This was my personal favourite. Aside from the great writing, this piece is the epitome of the missing young female traveller tale. Mix those Scandinavian girls with twisted predators in a foreign country, and it’s gruesome. The skill of Sweetman here is to leave that haunting chill with you well after the read. Seriously loved this piece. And it haunts, it really does.
“Chowda” by Travis Richardson: Fish soup has never been high on my list, but even less so now, and even if it is cooked by family. Because not all families live on Walton mountain, that’s for sure.
“Implement of Destruction” by Rusty Barnes: The great twist here is the feisty girlfriend you didn’t see coming. And it’s a new take on a golden shower, oh yes. Add in the dog’s tongue…just read it, you’ll understand exactly what I mean. This is my second favourite piece here.
“Lost Girl” by Scot Carpenter: PIs take pretty well most jobs that come their way. So does this PI. And his torture techniques are inventive! He does also have an unconventional way of wrapping a case up.
“Road Rage” by Danny Sophabmisay: This is the gutter of life at its darkest best. This girl should have tried harder with Narcotics Anonymous, but then we wouldn't have this great story. Mix drugs, cash and Disney characters. Yeah, a hell of a ride. And this line sets the scene perfectly: “All she wanted was a hit of crack – just one little rock to unwind after a long shift at The Foamy Beaver.” Love it!
“The Bargain” by Tom Barlow: Buyer beware, what more can I say? But drugs and cash are powerful motivators. Throw in a blow job and guns, and it’s a hoot.
“The Magician’s Left Hand” by Tais Teng: Over to Holland for a contract killer who needs to have a better recollection of his clients and targets, but this one is a real professional.
“Violet” by Evelyn Deshane: Transgender porn shop worker fantasizing about female porn star in a porno snuff movie – of course, this is looking good. Throw in a filmic re-enactment, and this is a great story to round out the volume.
The Switchblade editor, Scotch Rutherford, has quickly established himself and his magazine anthology as a leader in the hard-boiled and noir crime writing space. Every issue of Switchblade so far has been an immense treat, and the quality just keeps getting better. If you are a fan of this sub-genre of crime, then I cannot recommend Switchblade enough – it is, quite simply, mandatory reading for connoisseurs of noir.
Cheers,
ABP
January 11, 2019
Another great issue and it had me pondering how editor Scotch Rutherford has a great eye for not just a great story, but emminently readable ones. The flow of the tales is always great and there is never a dull moment. This is sharp noir at its finest.
"Cold Comfort" by John Bosworth takes a twist on prostitution and what kind of bang you're getting for your buck. "The Vice Aisle" by Mike Payne sees a grocery store manager dip into the dark side on the nightshift in a tale with both a great premise and character. "Dead Men Tell Tales" by Jim Thomsen eschews the usual hit man narrative to give us an aging one who is suddenly interested in the details behind the hit.
"The Usher" by E.F. Sweetman was my personal favourite from the collection as an usher at Fenway Park gets involved with the old jocks from school in ways he didn't foresee. "Chowda" by Travis Richardson brings us a rich character voice in his dozen or so pages, while Rusty Barnes' Kraj returns in a fun addition to his collection with "Implement of Destruction".
"Lost Girl" by Scot Carpenter is a PI story with an inventice opening torture scene. "Road Rage" by Danny Sophabmisay bring us a tale of you know what, but not in the way you'd imagine. "THE BARGAIN" by Tom Barlow is another favourite as a car bought cheap at police auction becomes more trouble than it is worth. "The Magician's Left Hand" by Tais Teng treads the wellworn magician turned hitman path. Finally, "Violet" by Evelyn DeShane ends the collection on a more existential note with a tale of identity and obsession and how it can be illusory.
I've to get caught with both past and present issues and the quality on display will only hasten that.
"Cold Comfort" by John Bosworth takes a twist on prostitution and what kind of bang you're getting for your buck. "The Vice Aisle" by Mike Payne sees a grocery store manager dip into the dark side on the nightshift in a tale with both a great premise and character. "Dead Men Tell Tales" by Jim Thomsen eschews the usual hit man narrative to give us an aging one who is suddenly interested in the details behind the hit.
"The Usher" by E.F. Sweetman was my personal favourite from the collection as an usher at Fenway Park gets involved with the old jocks from school in ways he didn't foresee. "Chowda" by Travis Richardson brings us a rich character voice in his dozen or so pages, while Rusty Barnes' Kraj returns in a fun addition to his collection with "Implement of Destruction".
"Lost Girl" by Scot Carpenter is a PI story with an inventice opening torture scene. "Road Rage" by Danny Sophabmisay bring us a tale of you know what, but not in the way you'd imagine. "THE BARGAIN" by Tom Barlow is another favourite as a car bought cheap at police auction becomes more trouble than it is worth. "The Magician's Left Hand" by Tais Teng treads the wellworn magician turned hitman path. Finally, "Violet" by Evelyn DeShane ends the collection on a more existential note with a tale of identity and obsession and how it can be illusory.
I've to get caught with both past and present issues and the quality on display will only hasten that.
October 9, 2018
Another collection of down-and-dirty noir, hard men and women, bad decisions, and worst luck. The writing comes at you like a lone pair of headlights in a narrow alley with no escape. These aren't feel good stories wear everything comes out all right in the end, and you might end up questioning your own values, your own beliefs a little more at the end of the day. Everyone thinks they know what they'd do when backed up against the wall... but reading these stories where everything goes sideways might make you question that.
Some favorites this time around:
"Chowda" by Travis Richardson. An attempt at poisoning leaves a man trying to track down who did it... and why.
"Implement of Destruction" by Rusty Barnes. Because even leg breakers have souls, but when your the money man's teeth, someone might decide to try to kick them in rather than pay.
"The Magician's Left Hand" by Tais Teng. Sometimes a hitman's best weapon is the stories told about him. Which ones are true and which ones are misdirection? A great tale of revenge and consequences.
Some favorites this time around:
"Chowda" by Travis Richardson. An attempt at poisoning leaves a man trying to track down who did it... and why.
"Implement of Destruction" by Rusty Barnes. Because even leg breakers have souls, but when your the money man's teeth, someone might decide to try to kick them in rather than pay.
"The Magician's Left Hand" by Tais Teng. Sometimes a hitman's best weapon is the stories told about him. Which ones are true and which ones are misdirection? A great tale of revenge and consequences.
August 22, 2018
Switchblade (Issue Sixx) is Tough As Nails Pulp Fiction
Offering a generous variety of authors, styles, and thrills, this issue of Switchblade will prove satisfying to veteran Pulp fans but also offers a rock solid starting point for readers interested in checking out New Pulp for the first time.
Highly recommended.
Offering a generous variety of authors, styles, and thrills, this issue of Switchblade will prove satisfying to veteran Pulp fans but also offers a rock solid starting point for readers interested in checking out New Pulp for the first time.
Highly recommended.
November 22, 2018
After enjoying the hell out of Switchblade 5, Issue Sixx was like the laced icing on a cake filled with sharp, pointy things. Meaning I loved it, too. So many good stories here.
Damn you, Switchblade. You got me hooked with a small taste like any clever pusher does and now I want more.
Damn you, Switchblade. You got me hooked with a small taste like any clever pusher does and now I want more.
October 2, 2018
Great collection of noir tales.
While I enjoyed every piece, my favorites of the collection are John Bosworth’s “Cold Comfort,” “The Bargain” by Tom Barlow, and “Violet” by Evelyn Deshane. Bosworth’s story is a reminder that there’s someone out there for everyone. In Barlow’s contribution, the main character tries to get ahead with a bucketload of pure moxy and a gift with purchase. Deshane’s work brings the reader to the big 80’s and an encounter with the woman who inspired Violet to embrace her inner diva. The black and white photography serves as a visual soundtrack to set the perfect tone.
While I enjoyed every piece, my favorites of the collection are John Bosworth’s “Cold Comfort,” “The Bargain” by Tom Barlow, and “Violet” by Evelyn Deshane. Bosworth’s story is a reminder that there’s someone out there for everyone. In Barlow’s contribution, the main character tries to get ahead with a bucketload of pure moxy and a gift with purchase. Deshane’s work brings the reader to the big 80’s and an encounter with the woman who inspired Violet to embrace her inner diva. The black and white photography serves as a visual soundtrack to set the perfect tone.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews